Dentifrice-dispensing toothbrush



April ll, 1950A J. A. MITCHELL DENTIFRICE DISPENSING TOOTHBRUSH Filed April 5, 1946 Patented pr. ll, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DENTIFRICE-DISPENSING TOOTHBRUSH Joseph A. Mitchell, Bowie, Tex.

Application April 5, 1946-, Serial No. 659,946

This invention relates to dentifrice-dispensing tooth-brushes.

An object of the invention is to provide a dentifrice-dispensing tooth-brush containing a supply of liquid dentifrice and having means for dispensing the liquid onto the tooth-brush bristles while the brush is in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dentifrice-dispensing tooth-brush which is sanitary in use and simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dentifrice-dispensing tooth-brush having a reservoir from which liquid dentifrice may be drawn by suction applied by the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide valve means for sealing the outlet from the dentifrice reservoir to prevent the liquid from escaping therefrom except when desired as the toothbrush is used.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of my improved dentifrice-dispensing toothbrush, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of my improved toothbrush including the cap.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of a portion of the toothbrush showing the valve mechanism, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top view cf the same general portion of the toothbrush shown in Figure 4, showing the valve spring.

Referring now to the drawing, there is a handle 2 generally cylindrical in external contour with a longitudinal chamber 4 therein forming a reservoir which may be lled with liquid dentifrice. A central axial bore 6 formed in the forward end 8 of the handle serves as a duct or conduit for the passage of liquid dentifrice forwardly out of the handle chamber.

The bore 6 is enlarged at l0 for the reception of the rearward end l2 suitably reduced, of the toothbrush head I4, the forward end I6 of which is shaped in the usual manner as shown in Figures l and 2, and has spaced tufts I8 of bristles protruding from its lower surface for brushing the teeth. The relative diameters of the extension I2 and enlarged bore I0 are such that the extension nts securely within the bore but may be pulled out when desired for cleaning purposes.

The outer surfaces 22 of the brush head and 24 of the forward end of the handle, are suitably tapered to obtain a smooth contour especially where they join.

A suction tube 26, supported at its forward end 28 by being molded integral with the forward end 8 of the handle, extends coaxially through the chamber 4 with its rearward end 30 almost reaching the open rearward end 32 of the chamber. The suction tube 28 has an axial longitudinal bore 34 with its forward end leading into the bore 6', and with its rearward end opening out into the rearward end of chamber 4 as shown. A plug 34 is threaded at 3S into the rearward end 32 of the hollow handle so as to close the chamber 4, the forward end 38 of the plug being tapered to have a slightly greater diameter at the rearward portion 40 of the taper than the corresponding inside diameter of the chamber 4 at that location. Thus, as the plug 34 is screwed into the end of the chamber 4, the tapered enlarged forward end of the plug tightly presses against the inner walls of the chamber so as to prevent leakage of liquid between them. A forwardly open conical recess 42 is formed in the forward end of the plug 34 as shown, to receive the rearward end 30 of the suction tube.

The axial duct 44 in the toothbrush head communicates with duct 6 to permit the liquid to flow therethrough, the forward end of duct 44 having one or more outlet holes 46 for allowing the liquid dentifrice to ow out of duct 44 and between the tufts of bristles.

A valve plunger 48 is movably disposed in transverse cylindrical recess 50 in the forward end 8 of the handle, the axis of the recess 50 lying in the same plane as duct 5, but being substantially at right angles thereto. The plunger 48 has a reduced portion 52 located where it intersects duct 6 when partly protruding out of the open end of recess 58 under the influence of spring 54, thus allowing dentifrice to flow through duct 6 past the reduced portion 52 of the plunger. The spring 54 is secured at one end to the surface of the handle by means of a screw 56, and has its other end bifurcated at 58 to engage the shank of a headed pin 60 driven into the upper end of the plunger. The adjacent surface of the 4handle is suitably recessed at 62 to receive the spring and plunger. A sanitary toothbrush head cover 64 ts over the toothbrush head, its rearwardly open end 66 snugly engaging over part of the forward end of the toothbrush handle as shown, and has a longitudinal inner rib 68 partly cut away at 10 for engaging and depressing the plunger 48 against the force of the spring 54. As shown in Figure 1, this closes the passageway through the duct 6 and prevents liquid from flowing therethrough since the reduced portion 52 of the plunger is no longer in alignment with the duct 6. A slot 53 in the surface of the lower portion of the plunger communicates with the bottom of recess 50 so as to prevent air lock. A neoprene or paper gasket may, if desired, be placed at the joint 12 between the toothbrush head and handle, for making a tighter seal.

In use, the plug 34 is unscrewed and the chamber or reservoir 4 is substantially filled with liquid dentifrice, whereupon the plug is threaded tightly into position as shown in Figure '1. The forward cap 64 is removed, allowing the spring to raise the plunger to the position shown in Figure 4. The toothbrush head is then placed in the mouth in the usual fashion, and while sealing the lips around the forward end of the handle, the user sucks on the brush until a surdcient quantity of liquid dentifrice has emerged from the holes 46, the brush being then used in the normal manner to clean the teeth. After rinsing off the brush head, the cover 64 is replaced, depressing the valve plunger 48 and sealing the duct 6. Holes 14 in the side wall of the cover cap 64 allow free passage of air around the bristles for drying them.

Although I have described by improved fountain toothbrush in specic terms, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in size, shape, materials and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as claimed herein.

I claim:

A dentifrice-dispensing toothbrush comprising an elongated hollow handle having a reservoir for liquid dentifrice therein, said handle having a reduced end section provided with a longitudinal axial bore therein in communication with said reservoir, a brush head removably mounted on said reduced end section, said brush head being provided with a duct in communication with the longitudinal bore of said reduced end section for the passage of liquid dentifrice therethrough, there being a transverse recess in said end section in communication with said longitudinal bore, a valve plunger reciprocably mounted in said recess and adapted to open and close the passage through said longitudinal bore, springjmeans attached to the exterior of said reduced end section adjacent said recess and operatively connected to said plunger valve for normally urging the latter into open position, and a removable cover enclosing the reduced end section and said brush head and frictionally engaging the spring means, whereby when said cover is positioned on said reduced end section, the plunger valve is caused to be urged into closed position.

JOSEPH A. MITCHELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 292,466 Bradford Jan. 29, 1884 795,962 Davidson Aug. l, 1905 1,042,967 Reis Oct. 29, 1912 1,092,656 Lynam Apr. 7, 1914 1,325,268 Sosdian Dec. 16, 1919 1,725,464 Lysons Aug. 20, 1929 1,889,309 Beckert Nov. 29, 1932 1,910,669 Biederman May 23, 1933 2,228,213 Hillsberry Jan. '7, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 49,271 France Nov. 12, 1938 

